Regular Script Graphemics: How Chinese Characters Are Written

[Hofmann]

Started typesetting. If you have a strong preference for certain book dimensions, say so.

[Hofmann]

The print version is available. I've updated the OP.

 

Before I started typesetting, I didn't really think there would be much benefit to a print version, but I'm surprised, now, that I think the print version is significantly better than the ebook version. The biggest differences are that

• I can control where page breaks happen so that the reader can more easily stop and think about something before moving on. There is less of an urge to skim.
• No missing characters, and no stupid circumlocution around characters that Kindle doesn't display.
• Deliberate typesetting is more pleasant to read.

At this point, I can't recommend the Kindle version anymore. Too many problems compared to the print version. I'll see what I can do, but I'm leaning toward making it a fixed-layout exact copy of the print version, minus the unnecessary extra pages. Still, if you want it now, it's dirt cheap.

[Tomsima]

Glad to hear you got it into paper format, although your link isn't working for me at the moment, i'm sure its a positive step in forward. I'm not sure what updates have been made since I read my kindle copy, but I have been thinking over the last few weeks how useful a related book on 小楷 might be to western learners, who are probably on the whole going to be writing small characters. Thats not to say the style covered in Regular Script Graphemics cant be written small, but I distinctly remember feeling confused when I first started seeing old handwritten books and wondering why the characters were so flat and different to anything I'd seen on the computer or in my textbooks.

[Luxi]

9 hours ago, Hofmann said:

I can't recommend the Kindle version anymore. Too many problems compared to the print version. 

 

It reads fine on a PC screen using the Amazon Kindle app. and I really like it on-screen, don't give up on the e-version altogether! (maybe you can add a note in the Amazon blurb suggesting people to read the e-version in a PC)

 

[Hofmann]

21 hours ago, Tomsima said:

your link isn't working

Fixed.

13 hours ago, Luxi said:

It reads fine on a PC

Yes, but the print version reads much better. I haven't given up on the e-version; its development is just lagging behind the print version right now, while I have other projects to work on.

[Shelley]

I have jut bought the print version, looks good. Can't wait for it to arrive.

Reading things on a screen is great but there is nothing like a real book for usability, its so much easier to make bookmarks, flip around and use indexes and table of contents etc.

[Shelley]

Once I have had my cataracts done (was supposed to be today, Wednesday, but it got rescheduled) should be a couple of months, i will be happy to do a review.

 

I am struggling to read things comfortably so it would be hard work instead of enjoyable at the moment.

[Shelley]

The book arrived today. I started having a look and found I couldn't put it down:)

 

At first look the thing that struck me was the typeface - clear large font and consequently so were the characters in the body of the text. And wonderfully large examples of characters with blank pages to practice.

 

I have managed to put it down to get on with some work but I am looking forward to reading it tonight. I think that this book will be a good read from cover to cover but also as a reference book.

 

[Hofmann]

I've put the extra cases here.

[davoosh]

Hi Hoffman,

 

I have been using the ebook version which I have found very useful. I installed the update a while back, but I didn't notice any major changes? I am reading on a Mac, and it looks fine to me.

[Hofmann]

The update long ago, that you had an option to download, corrected a few problems that were so minor that I've forgotten about them already. If you didn't notice any major changes, then good. Maybe I shouldn't have called the shortcomings of the Kindle medium "problems." Most people, like you, find that it reads fine. You still get all the information I want you to get, but the presentation is not as refined as in the paper version.

[陳德聰]

Looking forward to receiving my paperback copy some time in the next week!

 

If I feel like I have any useful insight or input I will put it here, but I assume you’d like most of the accolades to show up on your Amazon reviews, right?

[Hofmann]

I'm almost certain that somebody has started doing sentiment analysis on review text, using it to promote/rank different products accordingly. If I were training such a model, I'd probably take into account the number of people who found the review helpful. So, my gut feeling is that writing the most helpful review would be best for me. Of course, you can post here if you want me to see something that typical readers don't care about.

[Hofmann]

There's an error in early print versions on page 100. It's missing an image of 夷. You can see it here.